


Not So Hollow Inside

by Spunky0ne



Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-07-26
Packaged: 2019-04-04 15:46:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14023488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunky0ne/pseuds/Spunky0ne
Summary: After Aizen's fall, Ichigo knows to expect he will lose his shinigami powers, but when he begins having strange symptoms, he quickly realizes that his final Getsugatensho isn't the cause…yaoi, mpreg…Grimmjow/Ichigo, Ukitake/Shunsui, Kenpachi/Byakuya, and Kurushimi/Tetsuya (Kurushimi appears courtesy of Shima-Taicho31!)





	1. Fading Glory

_My powers_ , Ichigo thought, keeping his eyes closed as he laid in bed with his arms behind his head, _they're getting weaker. It's like Kisuke said. It's like I can feel them slipping away, little by little. Rukia and Renji try not to notice, but I can see it when they don't think I'm looking…that fear…that sadness that this has to end_.

_But, I'm okay with my decision._

_I know it was the right one._

_For Soul Society._

_For my family and friends._

For me.

I couldn't live with myself if I let someone like Aizen take over everything. A guy like that..no, I couldn't let that happen. So, I did the only thing I could. Because I gave up my powers, Aizen is in prison, where monsters like him belong. My friends and family are safe. Soul Society and the living world are safe. And I'm fine. I really am. Yeah, I wanted the power to protect everyone, but sometimes having what we want would cost us the very thing we're most fighting for. I want peace, love and safety. I have all of that, because I was willing to go back to being…just a human.

A soft tapping on the bedroom door made him open his eyes and scowl at the unseed offender.

"Whaddya want? I'm trying to sleep in here!" he shouted.

"Ichi-nii," Yuzu called cheerfully through the closed door, "I've got breakfast ready downstairs."

"Ugh," Ichigo groaned softly, his stomach turning oddly at the thought of any kind of food, "Just put mine in the fridge. I'll eat it later."

"I think he's got three days of breakfast in there he hasn't eaten," Karin's voice complained, "I don't know why you bother."

"Go away!" Ichigo snapped, "I need more sleep."

"Gee," Yuzu said, cocking her head cutely at Karin, "he sure is tired and crabby for having just been camping. I didn't know that camping was that stressful."

"C'mon, girls," Isshin's voice intoned, "let's let the kid sleep."

"Yeah," Ichigo whispered, covering his face with his pillow to shut out the light, "let's do that."

He closed his eyes, relaxing at the sounds of the others leaving the house.

_I really should get up._

But he couldn't seem to make his tired body move. At least, not until a stronger throb of nausea made him jump up and run for the bathroom. He dropped to his knees and emptied his stomach.

_I guess it's a good thing that I didn't eat._

He remained on his knees for a few minutes to let the spots that danced in front of his eyes disappear. When they were gone, he rose with a long sigh and stopped at the sink to wash his mouth out and brush his teeth. To his surprise, by the time he finished dressing, his stomach was rumbling. He walked downstairs, listening to make sure he was alone, then he headed into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He smirked in amusement, spotting the carefully wrapped three days worth of breakfasts that Karin had mentioned. He selected the one that was still warm and popped it into the microwave, taking a seat at the table to wait.

"Well, I was wondering when you would get your butt out of bed," Rukia said, walking into the kitchen.

She noted the look of surprise on Ichigo's face at her entrance and turned her head slightly to hide her disappointment.

"Sorry, I didn't…sense you," he confessed quietly.

"It's okay," Rukia assured him, eyeing him closely, "you don't have to apologize."

Ichigo let out a shuddering sigh.

"Yeah."

The microwave let out a sharp set of beeps and Ichigo rose and collected his now steaming breakfast. He sat down at the table.

"You hungry?"

"No," Rukia answered, "I had breakfast with Kisuke this morning."

"Hmm. He tell you to come over here?" Ichigo asked around a mouthful of food.

"No," the young woman said, crossing her arms, "He didn't need to send me over here. I wanted to come."

She watched silently as Ichigo shoveled more food into his mouth.

"You know, you never questioned before if I came over. You shouldn't do it now. I'm here because we're friends."

"You're here because I'm slowly losing my powers and, for you, it's like watching a car wreck, right in front of you. You can't look away, can you?"

"Are you saying you want me to leave?" Rukia challenged him, scowling.

Ichigo shrugged, making a sound of disapproval as he reached the end of his food, but felt his stomach still complaining. He rose and took out another of the little tubs and put it in the microwave.

"Stay if you want. Go if you want. I won't take offense."

"You don't think I really want to be here?" Rukia asked pointedly, "Ichigo, you are my friend and I like being with you. That's why I'm here. It's true that it's hard to see you losing your powers. It's hard to know that the time is going to come when you can't even Renji and me anymore. It's painful and it makes me sad, but I don't want to waste the time we have, avoiding the pain."

Ichigo dropped back into his chair, biting at his lips as he considered some kind of reply.

"Me either," he said, looking down at the table, "I just…don't feel so well today."

The microwave beeped again, and Rukia watched in silence for a moment as her ginger-haired friend collected his food and began to wolf it down.

"Couldn't tell by the way you're putting all of that away," she snickered, "You look better by the moment. The food must be helping."

"Can't seem to stop eating," Ichigo chuckled, rubbing his belly, "What the heck?"

"Finish that up and let's go to the park, okay? It's warm enough to swim in the river today."

"You wanna go swimming?" Ichigo asked, giving her a sideways glance.

"Yeah, that's what I just said, dummy," Rukia laughed, "Come on. Hurry up and finish chowing down. Renji and the others are going to meet us there."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed instantly.

"They're gonna meet us there? But…how did you know I was gonna…?"

"Because I know my friend," Rukia said sternly, "He did something that was really brave, and in his heart, he knows it was the right thing to do. There are consequences, but this guy is a hero. He knows that the best way to show that he means what he did…is to be with all of his friends and let us all comfort each other. That's the only way we're all going to get through this."

Rukia paused at the little smile Ichigo gave her.

"What?" she demanded, shaking her head.

"Rukia," Ichigo said, his voice shaking very slightly, "thanks."

XXXXXXXXXX

(In Grimmjow's cave in Hueco Mundo)

"Nel-sama, I think he's waking up!" Dondachakka shouted, indicating the Sexta Espada's curled up form.

"Naw," Pesche countered, squinting at Grimmjow, "I think that was just another quiver."

"No, I think he's really waking up!"

"Do you see any blue eyes?" Pesche snapped, crossing his arms and tilting his head, "cause all I see are eyelids! If he was waking up, then we would see his eyes, not his eyelids, bozo."

"But, you don't open your eyes before you wake up," Dondachakka argued, "You open your eyes as you wake up. I said it looked like he was waking up, not already awake. Are you sure you should be calling me a bozo?"

"You're a bozo and a smartass!" Pesche complained, moving to Grimmjow's side, "See? He ain't moving, just breathing and a little purring. That's kinda cute."

A clawed hand shot out from under Grimmjow's collapsed form and wrapped around Pesche's throat warningly as the Sexta Espada's eyes opened and narrowed and his lips curled, revealing sharp teeth.

"Don't ever fucking call me cute again!" he snarled, "And don't take up my breathing space either. Why don't you two morons…"

He paused, glaring, as Nel entered the chamber, clad in her child form. Her eyes rotated upward to meet Grimmjow's and she grinned.

"Grimmy's awake!" she laughed, "Nel is so glad that Grimmy didn't die! Nel put her saliva all over Grimmjow's wounds, but Grimmjow didn't wake up for a long, long, long, long…"

"OKAY, I GET IT!" Grimmjow roared, making the little girl hollow stiffen and stare back at him, "S-sorry, just, these two are getting on my nerves with all of their talking. I'm awake now. They can leave."

"But we live here!" Dondachakka objected.

"SCRAM!" Grimmjow hissed, scattering the two and leaving him alone with the former Third Espada.

Nel looked up at him questioningly.

"How did Grimmjow sleep?" she asked, "Nel was nearby some of the time and Grimmjow seemed to have some very bad dreams."

"I'm a fucking hollow," the blue-haired Espada said sarcastically, "My life is a nightmare, especially having to put up with a snot-nosed kid and her two idiot stuffed toys!"

"Pesche and Dondachakka took care of Grimmjow, so Nel could sleep," the girl said more sternly, "Grimmjow should say thank you for us not letting Grimmjow die."

"I should thank you?" Grimmjow asked in an irascible tone, "Are you fucking kidding me? I lost! I lost to that freak Ichigo! I was was supposed to die, baka!"

"But Grimmjow doesn't want to die now, does he?" Nel asked, giving him a troubled look.

"What's to live for?" Grimmjow sighed sitting up and looking down at his battered, but healing body, "Aizen sold us a pack of lies and he's locked up where he belongs. There's nothing here now but chaos."

"Harribel is governer," Nel explained, "Grimmjow slept for months. Nel was really worried and so were Harribel, Pesche and Dondachakka. We all helped heal Grimmjow."

"Yeah, thanks for the spit, kid," Grimmjow sighed discontentedly, "I need a bath."

He noticed the quizzical look Nel gave him and answered with his own look of exasperation.

"NO!" he shouted, "I did not mean I'm going to lick myself! I want a bath!"

"Nel doesn't have any water. The only water now is in Las Noches. But, Grimmjow isn't ready to walk that far yet. Grimmjow must wait until he is strong enough."

"Not strong enough?" Grimmjow snapped, "Just watch me!"

He staggered to his feet, ignoring the girl's instant objections. Pesche and Dondachakka looked up from the fire they sat beside as the Sexta Espada lurched out of the cave and stumbled past them.

"Whoa, he doesn't look so good."

"At least let Nel heal you some more, Grimmjow!" Nel called out, scampering after him, then stopping as his sonido sounded, and Grimmjow disappeared.

The three stood, looking after him in silence for a moment.

"What do we do about him?" Dondachakka asked.

"Harribel will scold Grimmjow and get Grimmjow to lie down and rest," Nel assured him, "But, we should go and help. C'mon."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kisuke looked up and smiled as the door to his shop opened and four shinigami men entered.

"Shunsui, Juushiro, Byakuya, and Kenpachi," he greeted them cheerfully, "What can I do for you boys?"

Shunsui smiled and Byakuya and Kenpachi scowled at each other, their reiatsu flickering until their elder colleague cleared his throat. Instantly, the two calmed.

"Yama-jii sent us to escort Kenpachi and Byakuya to Karakura Town to work on the clean up that is left, and to manage whatever hollows they can, so that we can conserve Ichigo's power," Shunsui explained.

Kisuke shot the two scowling taichos a pleasant grin.

"You boys get on Soutaicho's bad side?" he chuckled.

"It seems that while in Hueco Mundo, during the war," Juushiro explained, "they were witnessed beating up on each other instead of fighting the enemies."

"The decently strong enemies were all dead by the time me and Byakuya squared off to work our differences out."

"Well, Yama-jii wasn't pleased these two took their minds off their duties and injured each other when every bit of strength should have been saved to fight Aizen if he won."

"Perhaps we knew that Ichigo was going to take care of Aizen and…"

"Now, you know how Yama-jii responded to that argument," Juushiro said, looking amused.

"He yelled pretty damned loud," Kenpachi snickered, "and called that little noble princess a fool!"

"Do not dare to call me that!"

"Now, boys," Shunsui laughed, "You'd better behave. Yama-jii has worse places he can send you if you keep misbehaving. Just hang out here, do what Kisuke says for a few weeks."

"A few weeks?" Byakuya argued, "I am a clan leader. I cannot abandon my clan for a few weeks!"

"You have Tetsuya with you, don't you?" Kisuke asked, looking around and spotting the pale waterform Byakuya's cousin and bodyguard used to conceal himself, "He can be your go between."

"Tetsuya's job is to protect me, not to run errands."

"You want another month of clean up, cupcake?" Kenpachi teased, "Keep arguing and you'll get it."

"Keep talking and you do not want to know what you will get!" Byakuya snapped.

"Ah, do you have anything you need done right now?" Shunsui asked.

"Maybe a couple of separate jobs?" Juushiro added, "They're still a little feisty."

"S-sure," Kisuke laughed, "Kenpachi, you can bring in the orders that just arrived, and Byakuya, if you don't mind, I'd like you to help me with a few things in my lab."

"I am not acting as your lab rat!" the Kuchiki leader said haughtily.

"Didn't ask you to," Kisuke said good-naturedly, tipping his hat, "See ya later, Shunsui, Juushiro. Say hello to Soutaicho for me."

"Will do," Juushiro promised.

"Just let us know if those two boys cause any trouble here," Shunsui added.

Byakuya gave the two a derisive look and turned towards the laboratory. Kisuke followed him down the hallway and inside. Byakuya watched as Kisuke approached a monitor and began to type.

"You wanna sit down on the examination table for a second?" Kisuke asked.

"I do remember telling you I will not be your guinea pig," Byakuya reminded him.

"That was lab rat. You didn't agree to be my lab rat. And you're neither one. I'm just going to take some baselines to check your recovery and then we'll enter the information from Ichigo's latest round of tests."

The shopkeeper noticed right away, the reaction in Byakuya's dark, expressive eyes.

"How is he?"

Kisuke let out a soft sigh.

"Losing power slowly," he answered, keeping his eyes on the monitor in front of him, "but we knew what was going to happen. It's not a surprise."

"But, it is unfortunate."

Kisuke gave him a curious glance.

"I thought you were glad that he was coming home, where he belongs. Wasn't that what you said, Byakuya-san?"

"I did say that," Byakuya agreed, "Ichigo is a human, and he belongs with his own family."

"Yeah," Kisuke agreed, turning his head slightly so that the noble missed the look of irony that flashed on his face, "I guess so. Well, there's no choice now. One way or another, Ichigo is losing his shinigami powers. We'd all better hope to kami that nothing else comes up we can't handle, right?"

"The boy should never have been burdened with what is our responsibility," Byakuya said, earing widened eyes from his surprised friend, "He never failed us, but we have failed Ichigo. We will feel his loss greatly, but he will have the safe, carefree life that all young people should have."

Kisuke's expression softened and he nodded.

"You're right, Byakuya-san. I hope he enjoys the peace."

 _While it lasts_ , both men thought together.


	2. Was I Dreaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow learns that more went on than fighting during the war...

"Idiot," Harribel said under her breath, brushing the sweat off of Grimmjow's damp forehead, "you should have listened to Nel and waited longer to come back here."

"Eh, f-fuck you. I needed a bath after that little freak's vomit shower," the Sexta Espada groaned.

"You could have been devoured by weaklings," the hollow governor scolded him, "Had Nel not caught up with you…"

"I would've avoided the fresh round of spit she just covered me with. For the record, the next time I pass out, just let me get well or die on my own. Her healing power is damned gross!"

"It may not be so palatable, but it is a powerful healing gift, and it's why you're alive. You were nearly killed by Kurosaki Ichigo. And the wounds, surprisingly, indicate a viciousness that I wouldn't expect from him."

"Oh yeah?" Grimmjow scoffed, "Well, you've never seen the fucking monster he turns into."

Grimmjow paused and frowned as a flash image of the partially hollowfied human distracted him for a moment.

"Are you all right?" Harribel teased, giving him a feigned look of seriousness, "Should I call Nel back in here?"

"Ugh, no!" Grimmjow spat, "Keep that brat away from me."

"Promise me you will not get out of bed until I tell you to, and I will opt for less…"

"Disgusting!" Grimmjow provided.

"Less extreme healing measures."

"Fine. I'll stay in bed. I won't go anywhere, except for a bath to get the sweat off occasionally."

Harribel smirked.

"You have a unique fascination with cleanliness. I don't know if it's fitting for a hollow."

"I don't like to stink," Grimmjow huffed, laying back against the pillows, "Just because we live in a hellhole, doesn't mean we have to smell like one."

"I happen to agree," Harribel said more softly, "but with the deaths of so many of our elite officers, our world is more savage right now. Grimmjow, I know you're not interested in any kind of leadership, but I do need help keeping order."

"You want me to be your enforcer, fine. I'll enforce the laws out there, but I'm not hanging around the place Aizen filled his fucking lies with and…"

"You know," Harribel, "Las Noches wasn't built by Aizen Sosuke. It was here before he came and it is here, now that he is gone. It is not the place, Grimmjow, you're feeling disgust over being one of his victims. We should feel humiliated, but we have to continue to survive."

"Easier said than done," Grimmjow sighed.

The two paused in their discussion as a healer arrived, bearing a food tray. The hollow youth set the tray in front of Grimmjow, then gently removed and replaced the bandages on the Sexta Espada's healing wounds. Harribel sat quietly, watching until they were alone again.

"You seemed to have some horrid dreams," she said, picking up the conversation again, "You kept mumbling about someone named Ginger. I was surprised to sense that, amidst everything, you had mated."

Grimmjow gave her a blank look.

"Huh?"

Harribel smirked at him.

"You think I can't tell? Remember, I was there when Nel healed you. You mated recently."

"You're delusional," Grimmjow muttered, "I got torn apart by Kurosaki, then I stumbled around for awhile and collapsed."

"Well, you seem to have found someone while you were stumbling around. You had a lot of semen on you."

"Shut up!" Grimmjow roared, sitting up, "Just shut the hell up, okay? I was fighting, not mating! I don't want a goddamned mate! I have enough whiny little twits hanging around me. I don't need little baby twits to have to watch out for."

"Ah, that's right," Harribel remembered, "You appear to have mated in Pantera's form, so your mate will conceive multiple babies."

Grimmjow's teeth bared and little claws began to grow on his fingers and toes.

"KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF!" he yelled, swiping at her, "No one's having any goddamned babies here! I don't know why you wanna keep jerking me off about this. Get the hell out and leave me alone, before you make me split my stitches!"

Still smirking, Harribel rose and walked to the door. She paused, still facing away from him.

"Stay in bed, Grimmjow," she advised him, "I need you well soon."

"And I need you to leave me alone and let me fucking sleep. You said sleep. I'm trying to sleep now. Will you get your ass out and let me do that?"

Harribel exited the room and found that Nel had been hiding behind a column and watching.

"Grimmjow is pretty angry," Nel observed.

Harribel nodded.

"He has a right to be. Aizen perpetrated a terrible humiliation on all of us. I feel shame in having trusted him."

"Nel does too, but Nel doesn't go around kicking things and swearing a lot like Grimmjow does."

"He is also dealing with his loss of honor in losing his battle with Kurosaki Ichigo."

Nel shifted back and forth uncomfortably.

"Nel is kind of glad Itsy-go won against Grimmjow, because Itsy-go doesn't really like to kill anyone."

"Ichigo fights to protect, not to kill," Harribel agreed, "When his enemy stops fighting, Ichigo is merciful. Although, Grimmjow doesn't see it as mercy, but as an insult."

"Grimmjow is silly," Nel sighed, shaking her head, "He doesn't like killing either, but he says he has to or something will kill him instead."

"Boy logic," Harribel complained, "He needs to grow up. If you will excuse me now, I need to rest."

"Okay, but Nel has one more question."

Harribel looked at the toddler hollow questioningly.

"Did Grimmjow really find a mate?"

The lady hollow shrugged.

"It seems like he did. There were signs of recent mating when we found him."

"Nel is confused. Nel knows that Grimmjow likes boys. Nel saw him on top of Tesra before."

"You shouldn't be invading people's privacy like that."

"Harribel knew about Grimmjow and Tesra?"

Harribel nodded.

"Tesra was one of Grimmjow's fraccìon before Nnoitora defeated him and claimed Tesra as his."

"Grimmjow liked Tesra a lot," Nel giggled.

"But they weren't mates. I know you understand the difference between boys and girls, Nel."

"Nel does," the girl-hollow snickered, "although Nel likes the stories of the noble boys who can have babies. Did Harribel know that Kuchiki Rukia has a boy cousin who is a real breeder male?"

"A real breeder male?" Harribel repeated curiously, "Are you sure?"

"Uh-huh," Nel answered, nodding, "Rukia told Nel that Rukia's cousin, Tetsuya, was once having a baby, but that the baby died. Nel was sad and started to cry."

"That is sad," Harribel agreed.

"Do you think Grimmjow is sad that Tesra died?" asked Nel.

"I think he is very sad that Tesra died," the lady hollow confirmed, "I think that's part of the reason he's so angry now. He's mostly angry at himself, for not taking Tesra back from Nnoitora before Nnoitora got him killed."

"Nnoitora was horrible," Nel sighed, "Nel isn't sad that Nnoitora is gone. Nel misses Tesra, though. Tesra was nice to Nel, even though it made Nnoitora mad. I wonder if Grimmjow's mate is nice or mean."

Nel thought for a moment, then frowned.

"Nel wonders something," she went on, "Kuchiki Rukia told Nel that breeder males need reiatsu infusions while the breeder males are pregnant. If Grimmjow mated with a boy noble..."

"I don't know of any breeder males here," Harribel assured her, "I am pretty sure that Grimmjow mated with a female."

"Oh," Nel said, tilting her head, "that's good."

"We should both get some rest now," Harribel suggested, "Good night, Nel."

"Good night, Harribel."

XXXXXXXXXX

Byakuya sat quietly at a desk amidst the clutter of scientific apparatus in Kisuke's laboratory, making entries onto a laptop, while the shopkeeper pored over a set of notes from his last experiment.

"Hmm," the noble said, frowning at the information in front of him.

"Something wrong?" Kisuke asked, looking up at him.

"I am not sure," Byakuya answered, checking the information on his screen, "I have been entering the numbers for Ichigo's latest tests, and for the most part, it looks as you said…that Ichigo is losing his powers gradually. However, there are signs in his reiatsu monitoring that indicate flares and drop-offs that are sharper than expected."

"I noticed that also," Kisuke affirmed, "But, it still falls into the range one might expect from a person with Ichigo's strength."

"Hmm, I also noticed that his hormone levels are unexpectedly unstable."

"Well," Kisuke said, smirking, "he is a young adult male."

"I have been fully educated in human anatomy," Byakuya said, frowning, "This is not normal. If Ichigo was a shinigami, it would also not be normal…unless, one was a breeder male."

Kisuke turned his head slightly away to hide the little reaction in his eyes.

"That's right," he said solemnly, "You'd know more about the breeder males than I would, having one in your household."

"But, Ichigo is not a shinigami or a noble, so these readings do not make sense."

"Well, there are a lot of things going on with Ichigo right now, and I can't be sure it's not a testing fluke. I'll run the tests again and see if there's something wrong with the data."

"Very well," the noble said, standing, "I have finished the entries. I will need to…"

He broke off as Tessai entered the lab, wearing a worried expression.

"Boss, Shima Kurushimi has just arrived with an injury."

He turned to face Byakuya.

"It is your bodyguard," Tessai reported.

"Tetsuya was injured?"

"The injury itself was minor, which is probably why he neglected to have it healed here. But the hollow had a disruptive reiatsu that caused Tetsuya-san to weaken and lose consciousness. Kurushimi-san found him and brought him in."

"Where are they?" Kisuke asked.

"I have them in the first guest room."

Kisuke nodded and led Byakuya out of the lab and to the guest room. Halfway down the hall, Byakuya skidded to a stop as a large, hulking form entered the hallway from the kitchen and stepped into his path.

"Whoa!" Kenpachi laughed, stepping back as Byakuya glared at him, "Sorry about that, Kuchiki. You all right?"

"I am trying to reach my cousin, who has been injured. Get out of the way."

"Injured by what?" Kenpachi asked, a little glint in his eye.

"It was nothing," Byakuya sighed impatiently, "A weak hollow, but with a disruptive reiatsu. Please move aside. I do need to get by."

"No problem," Kenpachi said good naturedly.

He let the noble pass, then followed him into Tetsuya's guest room, where he found Kisuke and Tessai along with Byakuya, at Tetsuya's bedside. Shima Kurushimi stood near the door, watching as Tetsuya was treated.

"You found Byakuya's cousin?" he asked.

"Yes," Kuri confirmed, "although I didn't know until I got here and Tessai told me who he was. I know of Kuchiki Tetsuya, but like most, I have never seen him in person. I found him collapsed and his horse in a panic. I stabilized him and brought him here."

"Did you see the hollow that did it?" Kenpachi asked, grinning.

"I think Tetsu-hana dispatched it pretty easily."

"Oh," the bigger man said, looking disappointed.

He frowned for a moment, then glanced up again and smiled at the way the Shima leader continued to watch Tetsuya's care so closely.

"You like him, huh?"

"What?" Kuri asked distractedly.

"That guy. Byakuya's cousin?"

"Ah, well, yes, I suppose. He is beautiful."

"You might as well forget it," Kenpachi said, matter-of-factly.

"Oh, why is that?" Kuri asked, frowning curiously, "You don't think Byakurai would approve?"

"No, I don't," Kenpachi chuckled, "but that's not it."

"Then, what is?"

"Well, you see, I spend time at Kuchiki Manor sometimes and Byakuya's talked a little bit about him. Seems he was a prisoner…"

"In Itamigiri," Kuri finished, "I know this, but it doesn't explain why he would not be interested in me. He had a husband, didn't he?"

"Yeah, he had a husband, and they were gonna have a baby."

"But Tetsu-hana's husband was killed in the escape from the prison," Kuri added.

"And Tetsuya lost the baby. He was a wreck. Byakuya told me he didn't say a word for months. He visits his husband's grave when Byakuya visits his wife's every day. And just like Byakuya, he's turned down every offer to court him, male or female. Neither one wants to feel the pain again."

Kuri gave Kenpachi a little smirk.

"You say you spend time at Kuchiki Manor?" he asked, "Why is that? I've heard the way Byakurai insults you."

Kenpachi shrugged.

"I like to piss him off. Sometimes he gets mad enough to take me up on sparring."

"Like he did in Hueco Mundo, eh?" Kuri snickered, "Isn't that what got the two of you assigned here? Fighting each other instead of the enemy?"

"The enemy was fucked by then," Kenpachi scoffed, "I was bored. I got Byakuya pissed. It was meant to be."

"You enjoy fighting him that much?" Kuri laughed.

"Sure," Kenpachi said, shrugging.

"You ought to seduce him," the Shima leader teased, "be a lover, not a fighter. You would get in less trouble."

"Byakuya's a breeder male."

Kuri stiffened and blinked.

"I'm sure you weren't supposed to tell me that," he said, eyeing the bigger man, "How did you even find out?"

"We were a little punch drunk after our sparring in Hueco Mundo and before the healers got there. I tried to kiss him and he slapped me. I thanked him and asked him if he wanted to have sex."

"You asked Byakurai to have sex with you?" Kuri asked, covering his mouth.

"Yeah, you can imagine what he said. But, he slipped and mentioned the risk of getting one of us pregnant. Then, he swore he'd kill me if I told anyone. I can't resist a good fight, so I'm telling you."

"You're telling me so…" Kuri said, glancing at Tetsuya.

"You use that to pressure Byakuya for permission to date his cousin and Byakuya gets pissed at me for outing him about being a breeder male and he tries to kill me. Everyone's happy, right?"

"Except for one thing," Kuri sighed regretfully.

"What's that?" Kenpachi asked.

"Well, if I pressure Tetsu-hana, using the information against his cousin, Tetsu-hana will not forgive me. I am afraid you and I will both have to use other measures."

"Heh," Kenpachi chuckled, "Care to make a bet about far you're gonna get?"

"That would be undignified," Kuri huffed, pulling a little flask out of his sleeve and taking a sip from it, then offering it to Kenpachi, who also took a swig, "Besides, I would just be taking your money, because I tell you now. I am going to marry Tetsu-hana."

"Fat chance!" Kenpachi snorted, crossing his arms, "I call bullshit. I say there's no way you are getting in that pretty-boy's pants."

"And what makes you think that?" Kuri asked, frowning.

"Look, your heart's in the right place. I get that," Kenpachi said with certainty, "But look at us. Byakuya, Tetsuya, you, me? We've all been totally screwed when it comes to love. We've had it and then had it shredded in front of us. Hatred, sickness, just bad luck. It doesn't matter, because reality eats that fantasy we call love. So, fuck it. Fighting's good. I'll take that."

A look of sudden realization spread over Kuri's face and his jaw dropped.

"Ken-ken-nii, you've been in love and…?"

"I lived in the low Rukongai. I was young and stupid once too. Then I learned. Love is for suckers who wanna hurt. That's why I'd rather fight."


	3. No Baby Doll

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow begins to remember mating with a ginger-maned hollow.

Ichigo walked alone along the edge of the river, his hands in his pockets and his eyes staring down into the rushing current. The warmth and sweet scents of flowers and water should have mingled with the chirps of birds to cheer him, but he barely noticed as he continued to mull things over in his head.

_Every morning's the same. I wake up, throw up, then eat like a damned horse. Kisuke says it's good I'm gaining back some of the weight I dropped during all of the fighting, but I can see he thinks something's wrong. It may not even be that I'm losing my powers. There may be something else going on that he's just not wanting to burden me with…at least, not until he understands it, himself. I've just gotta be patient and see what happens._

He spotted a shadow in the brush ahead of him.

_Renji._

_He should just come out, but I know he and Rukia are trying not to hang all over me. I don't know why they think I need to be watched all of the time. I'm becoming a powerless human again, not dying. Least, I don't think I'm dying. They'd be a lot more urgent if it was that. No, this is something else. Maybe I should just ask Kisuke what's going on._

He past the bush Renji was hiding in.

"Hey, Renj."

He heard a little muted sound of surprise, then a curse, and Renji stepped out to greet him.

"Sorry, I uh…was just…"

"Forget it," Ichigo chuckled, "It's fine. I know Rukia ordered you not to take your eyes off of me."

"Rukia doesn't give me orders!" Renji snapped, crossing his arms. "Only one who gives me orders is Kuchiki Taicho."

"Byakuya ordered you to follow me?" Ichigo snorted, "Fat chance."

He reached up to scratch the back of his neck as Renji started to walk alongside him, then he stopped for a moment, shaking his head, "On second thought, it sounds exactly like Byakuya to act like he can't stand the sight of me to my face, but do things to protect me behind my back. He's like your best friend and worst enemy all rolled into one. Damn."

"Taicho doesn't dislike you," Renji assured him.

"Yeah, you can tell by the comical little insults he always throws my way. Take it easy, Renji. You don't have to try to pretend. I know he just protects me because he feels like he owes me for saving Rukia, like he should've."

"If you will think back, he was the one who saved Rukia in the end, by taking a sword through the heart!" Renji reminded him.

"After which, he collapsed and Aizen was just gonna kill him too," Ichigo argued, "It was really Kukakku and Jidanbo who saved all our asses that time. The taichos, all of us, we couldn't stop Aizen back then."

"Well," Renji said, his expression softening, "you stopped that fucker in the end, right?"

"Me and Kisuke," Ichigo remembered, taking a breath and closing his eyes, "It took both his brains and my strength. Neither one was enough on it's own. Aizen is a monster."

"Yeah? Well, now he's where Soul Society's monsters go. He's down in that pit and tied up in the dark. Hope he likes the new throne Kurotsuchi gave him. Good riddance."

"Hmm."

Renji rolled his eyes.

"Oh man, not again," the redhead snorted.

"What? Whaddya mean, not again? Ichigo demanded.

"Oh no!" Renji teased, clapping his hands to his face, "I beat up an enemy and he's all busted up. I better heal him up and make him my next best buddy! Oh my god…"

"Hey, it worked out for you and Byakuya, right?" Ichigo said, a little smirk touching his lips as his mood lightened, "Or, at least for you."

"If Gin had lived, you and he'd probably be meeting once a week to play poker," Renji laughed.

"Gin is alive," Ichigo whispered, giving Renji a wink.

"Huh? What'd you say?" Renji asked.

"Kisuke helped Rangiku fake his death. He's in the Rukongai in hiding. I guess Kisuke felt sorry for the guy like I did in the end. He wasn't really an enemy."

"He did try to set Rukia up a few times," Renji reminded him, "He might not have really been with Aizen, but he was shifty."

"He's defanged now. Rangiku goes to visit him when she's on leave."

"You keep up with them?" Renji said, shaking his head, "Invite them to your parties?"

"Nope," Ichigo answered, "They have to keep his existence a secret. And yeah, before you ask, I'm glad he didn't die. He can be a shifty little snake, but he almost died trying to get a piece of Rangiku's soul back from Aizen."

"Too bad he didn't," Renji sighed, "I hear she'd have reached bankai, if Aizen hadn't stolen it from her."

"That sucks," Ichigo agreed, "but she's doing okay without it. She and Gin are both happy. I think that's what really counts."

"Yeah," Renji agreed, sobering slightly, "it is."

"What about you, Ichigo?" Renji asked more quietly, "You happy?"

"Huh," Ichigo huffed, "Maybe not so much right now, but it's mostly because I feel like I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's the waiting that makes this hard, as much as what's happening."

"Yeah," Renji said sadly, "you're right."

The two stopped talking as they reached Kisuke's shop and entered through the candy store in front. As he passed the sweets, Ichigo slipped a handful of the bright candies into his pocket. Renji gave him a mystified look.

"I thought you weren't much of a candy person," he commented, watching Ichigo place two of the sweets into his mouth.

"I'm not," Ichigo affirmed, "I don't like'em. I'm just hungry again and need to take the edge off."

"You just fucking ate before you left your house!" the redhead objected.

"Stalker!" Ichigo laughed, taking a candy out of his pocket and throwing it at Renji.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Kisuke chuckled, entering the candy shop from the inner doorway.

"Ichigo's raiding your candy," Renji snickered, "even though he says he doesn't like it."

"I'm just hungry, okay?" Ichigo said, shaking his head, "Everyone tells me I don't eat enough."

"You're welcome to the candy," Kisuke assured him, "and Tessai's in with Kuri's sister, making a ton of food."

"Aderia's here?" Ichigo asked, his face lighting up, "What's she doing here? Is Kuri here too?"

"Yeah, he's here," Kisuke said, nodding as the three headed towards the kitchen, "Byakuya's cousin, Tetsuya, was hurt a couple of days ago. It wasn't bad, but he needed to rest and eat a lot, so since Kuri was the one who found Tetsuya and brought him in, he's been kinda helping out with Tetsuya's care."

"You mean, he's been trying to charm the pants off the guy," Renji laughed, "But Tetsuya, even though he's nice about it, doesn't give Kuri the time of day. Aderia adores him. She keeps trying to help Kuri connect with him, but Tetsuya is just polite, and that's where it ends."

"Why doesn't Tetsuya like Kuri?" Ichigo asked, furrowing his brow, "Kuri's great."

"I don't think Tetsuya likes how much the guy drinks and shoots off his mouth. He's not as polite as the people Tetsuya spends his time around, so I think that intimidates Tetsuya a little."

"Eh, Kuri's got charisma," Renji chuckled, "I'm sure he'll wear Tetsuya down, especially if Aderia keeps filling the guy with so much awesome food. We've all gained ten pounds since she got here."

"Sounds great. I'm in!" Ichigo said enthusiastically, following the two to the dining room table to join the others.

XXXXXXXXXX

Grimmjow twitched in his sleep, quivering for a moment as he began to dream.

_He crawled along the ground, keeping carefully to the darkest shadows as he dragged his injured body away from the blood soaked area where he and Ichigo had been fighting. He didn't know or care where the man who had beaten him had gone. He couldn't scare up the urge to care about anything as blood leaked from the slashes that Ichigo's hollow form had left behind._

_"F-fuck!" he gasped, collapsing._

_His head rang and his vision dimmed, leaving him helpless and ripe for being devoured by any number of pathetic, weakling opportunists who might be in the area. But he couldn't move, so he could accept that he was fair game._

_"I lost…" he muttered dizzily, "I lost to that…"_

_His voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes, surrendering to darkness and quiet. Several minutes passed with the moon crawling across the sky over his torn body. Then, a snuffling sound rose up nearby, and a crouched, ginger-haired hollow crawled to his fallen form and stopped to stare at him. It leaned down and sniffed at Grimmjow's bloody flesh, then whined and licked away a small amount of the blood. The coppery taste seemed to send fresh life through its aching body, and it whined more loudly and ran its tongue along Grimmjow's cheek. The Sexta Espada's blue eyes opened and blinked, but didn't clear._

_"You wanna eat me, you bastard?" he asked weakly, "Fucking go ahead. I won't stop you."_

_The whimper of the other hollow went straight to his loins, and Grimmjow groaned as he felt a radiant burst of reiatsu light up between them._

_"Th'fuck?" he managed, staring as the ginger-haired hollow slashed at him, not touching his skin, but ripping away his clothing, "You can see I'm dying, right? Doesn't matter, you just want my dick, huh? Don't know if it'll still work, but whatever."_

_He tried again to clear his vision enough to see the other hollow, but his head still spun, and the land tilted eerily around him. He panted harshly, his aching loins and the rising urge to mate, warring with the knowledge that it might just be the last thing he did._

_"Well, I guess it's a good way to go, right Ginger?" he panted, forcing his body into a crouch and diving clumsily onto the other hollow, "Just take care of our kid when I die here, okay? Make sure the little fucker doesn't have to struggle like I did, and we'll call it even."_

__

_The ginger-haired hollow growled and flipped onto its belly, clawing at the ground and trying to twist free as Grimmjow gripped it tightly and positioned himself for entry._

__

_"This'll hurt a little, sweetheart," he grunted, trying to enter with some care, then wincing as the heavy thrust of penetration caused a spike of pain through his abdomen, "Shit. Never mind, it might hurt a lot."_

__

_He forced his hips forward, a heavy, erotic jolt passing through him as the hollow beneath him hissed and tore at his skin, but at the same time, raised its hips and pushed back against him wantonly, forcing his thick, damp member further inside. He thrust eagerly into the other hollow's raised bottom, groaning and swearing at the alternating throbs of stinging pain and intense pleasure the motion caused. His snarls and curses mingled with the shrieks and hisses of the hollow beneath him as the two writhed against each other more and more violently._

__

_"C'mon..."Grimmjow panted, sweat running down his face and his body shaking hard._

__

_He felt the ginger hollow's ass tighten warningly around his thrusting cock and groaned in anticipation._

__

_They climaxed together, screaming in both pain and ecstasy, then both collapsed onto the ground, panting and shaking, too exhausted to move. Grimmjow tried once more to clear his vision, but was left with only a hazy impression of the ginger-haired hollow he had mated with._

__

__"Gonna eat me now, love?" he laughed weakly, closing his eyes and waiting for the inevitable.

 _He was nearly shocked out of his skin, when he felt the other hollow's tongue stroke along his inner thigh, then gently begin to lick away the fluid from the blushing flesh of his limp, sated cock_.

_"Oh god, I don't think I can go another round, honey," he groaned._

_But he managed more than a few before everything went black and he passed out entirely._

Grimmjow sat up in his bed, panting softly and his face flushed and hot, but not from fever. He felt something sticky on his thighs and abdomen and peeked under the blanket, then swore.

"Shit…I did mate, didn't I?" he muttered, "Didn't get a good look at her. Fuck."

He let out a shaky breath and reached up to scratch his head. Another look down at his body revealed the fact that he had shifted to his resurreccion form.

"What the…? Now I'm shifting in my damned sleep?" he complained, closing his eyes and focusing to shift back.

"Hi, Grimmjow!" Nel called cheerfully as she skipped into the room, "Do you need some…?"

"What the hell?" Grimmjow snapped, pulling the covers over himself, "Get the heck outta here, you little freak! I'm almost naked!"

"Nel doesn't care if Grimmjow is naked," Nel assured him, "Nel just wants to…"

"Well, Nel needs to get her kiddy ass outta my room so that I can go take a goddamned shower! GET OUT!"

"I think he's feeling better," Pesche said from outside the door, "All that yelling and he's not even dizzy."

"I'll give you fucking dizzy!" Grimmjow roared, snatching up a pillow and hurling it in their direction, "GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!"

"Don't get so overexcited. You're going to make yourself worse," Harribel said, walking through the door.

"Oh, not you now too!" Grimmjow complained, "Can't everyone just leave me alone and let me do my own thing, here?"

"Looks like you have been doing your own thing," Harribel snickered, looking at the mess where the blanket had slipped part of the way off Grimmjow's lap during his tirade, "I'll just leave you to it, then."

"Hey! I wasn't…!" Grimmjow yelled after her.

Realizing the futility of the effort, he huffed out a disgusted breath and glared down at his barely tamed member.

"Could you knock it off for a damned minute?" he complained, "I can't think straight."

He forcibly slowed his breathing and waited as his racing heart calmed.

"She was something," he said, smirking, "I don't know what exactly, but she really rocked my world, huh. Too bad I couldn't see her well enough to remember what she looked like. Maybe I don't wanna know. Better if there are no complications."

He left the bed and stumbled into the shower, sighing in relief as the hot water ran down his slim body, washing away the sweat and stickiness. His better humor returned slowly, and he even began to hum softly.

"Damn, kinda wish she was here now to put that tongue on me again."

Just thinking about it made his loins hungry, and he didn't hesitate to indulge himself under the hot spray, leaning back against the wall and thinking of the other hollow's bright ginger hair and sinful mouth as he slid his hand up and down the length of his thick erection.

"I'm lucky she didn't bite it off while she was down there," he chuckled, stroking himself harder.

He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, groaning in bliss as he climaxed.

 _Okay_ , he thought dizzily, _that's working all right. My legs are strong enough for walking. It's time to start picking up the pieces. Aizen is gone, This world is a fucking mess and there's only a few of us with the strength to put it back together again. Don't know exactly why I want to…_

_But I do._


	4. The Truth Inside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shirosaki shocks Ichigo with an explanation for the strange symptoms he's experiencing.

Ichigo felt the odd sensation of lying on cold, thick glass, and he marveled at being in what he knew was his inner world. Without opening his eyes, he sensed the tall, sideways buildings, radiating with the feel of his home, Karakura Town. He felt the moist, cold air and the touch of an icy breeze.

_I haven't been able to come to my inner world since using the final Getsugatensho. Kisuke wasn't sure if I would be able to come here again before my powers disappeared. And he told me that, even if I did get in here, he didn't think the spirits of my zanpakuto would be able to communicate with me._

_Old Man Zangetsu._

_Shirosaki._

_Are you here?_

He didn't want to open his eyes to find himself alone.

_This is really, really hard. And that doesn't mean that I regret my decision to sacrifice my powers to defeat Aizen. I know I made the right choice. Old Man Zangetsu understood, and even though he wouldn't say it out loud, I know Shirosaki was with me._

He even thought he could hear the whisper of his zanpakuto spirits' voices.

 _Ichigo!_ Shirosaki's voice hissed in his head, _Ichigo, for fucks sake, WAKE UP!_

Ichigo sucked in a surprised breath and his eyes flew open.

He found himself lying facedown on the side of one of the tall gray buildings, naked and shivering with the cold of a creeping fog that pressed in around him. Mist muffled the sound as Shirosaki's voice came closer.

"Ichigo, you bastard, wake up!"

Ichigo's eyes blinked, and when they opened again, they picked up the misted shape of Shirosaki's white sandals and hakama. He ran his eyes up the spirit's body, meeting the wild, feral eyes and staring.

_Shirosaki is scared?_

_What's going on? Am I…am I dying?_

"Sh-shirosaki? What's going on? Y-you…you look like you're fading in and out. What's happening? Is this because I'm losing my powers? I feel so strange. It kinda feels like I'm dying."

"You're gonna…if…listen…" the hollow spirit snapped, his voice fading in and out, much like his visible image, "…chigo, you're not dying. If you wanna…n you gotta listen. I can't let you lose your powers now bec…are pregnant!"

Ichigo's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Th'hell'd you say?" he mumbled, his vision tilting and darkening fitfully, "You're not making sense, damn it!"

"WAKE UP, YOU ASSHOLE!" the hollow spirit shrieked, taking hold of the collapsed man and dragging him onto his knees.

"What's wrong with you? Have you gone crazy?" Ichigo shouted back, "Wait, it's you we're talking about. Of course, you're crazy. Why are you screaming at me?"

"Will you listen t…a fucking second?" Shirosaki demanded.

"I am listening, you jerk!" Ichigo said heatedly, some strength seeping back into his body as he woke more fully and climbed to his feet, "It's just hard to hear you because you're fading in and out like that. What's happening to you? Where's Old Man Zangetsu?"

The hollow quivered and his image flickered for a moment before coming into focus in front of him again.

"The old man's passed out, over there," Shirosaki answered, thrusting a pointing finger in the collapsed spirit's direction.

Ichigo turned and walked slowly to the fallen spirit's side with Shirosaki a step behind. He paused and dropped onto his knees, studying the man's tormented sleeping face, then he looked back at Shirosaki questioningly.

"Is this because of me using the final Getsugatensho?" he asked warily, "Is he dying?"

"I don't think he's dying," Shirosaki replied, calming somewhat, now that his master was finally awake and listening, "He might be, though. He was shocked by the use of that power."

"What about you?" Ichigo asked, "except for you fading in and out before, you look all right."

"I'm okay, or at least I think I am," the hollow spirit said uncertainly, "The way I fade in and out is probably being caused by your reiatsu fluctuations."

"Kisuke said that my reiatsu would fluctuate because I am slowly losing my powers. Are you saying that there's more to it than that? You act like you know something that no one else does. So, spill it. What do you know, Shirosaki?"

"What do I know?" the white spirit mused, shaking his head, "I know that you and everyone else are overlooking something big. Yeah, you're having power flares and failures, and you're going through the stages of the loss of your shinigami powers. But, here's the thing. There's something that the old man wasn't telling you that could help you."

Ichigo stole a glance at Old Man Zangetsu, then looked back at Shirosaki. The white spirit scowled.

"Look, I know you trust him more than you trust me."

"Yeah, kinda obvious, and can you really blame me?"

"No!" Shirosaki steamed, "I don't blame you for not trusting me. Who would trust a hollow, right? Especially over someone old and wise, like that guy. I get it. It even makes sense, but King, you gotta listen to me! The guy is keeping something from you that you need to know!"

Ichigo gave his alter-ego a stern look.

"Don't mess with me, Shirosaki," he said angrily, "Just because Old Man Zangetsu is out cold, doesn't mean you can start jerking me around. I may be losing my powers, but I'm not stupid. I…"

"You're pregnant, asshole!" Shirosaki exclaimed, stunning Ichigo into silence.

Ichigo's jaw dropped and he gaped at the hollow spirit wordlessly as Shirosaki continued.

"Does that do it?" Shirosaki said scathingly, "Do I have you attention now?"

"What?" Ichigo mused, going pale, "What did you say to me?"

"You heard me," the spirit said sullenly, "You're knocked up. You're carrying. And I'm not gonna lie to you. It's my fault."

"What the hell?" Ichigo yelled, grabbing the spirit by the front of his shirt, "Are you fucking kidding me? I can't be pregnant. I'm a guy! Guy's don't get pregnant! You're outta your mind or something."

"Oh, I'm outta my mind, eh?" the hollow spat, "You get up every morning and you throw up, right? You feel sick to your stomach and you throw up, then a little while later, you start eating and can't stop. You feel dizzy a lot and faint like a girl. You're putting on weight. See, stupid? You're knocked up, I tell you!"

"You have to have sex to get pregnant, baka!" Ichigo scolded him, "I'm a fucking virgin!"

"No, you're not," the hollow snorted.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ichigo yelled.

"I'm talking about you being knocked up and having all kinds of symptoms. I think Kisuke may be catching on…."

Ichigo froze, studying the hollow carefully.

"You look like you don't want him to know," he observed warily, "You wanna tell me why?"

"Why do you think?" Shirosaki sighed, closing his eyes and sagging slightly, "Didn't you hear me say that it's my fault you're like this?"

Ichigo remained silent, watching as the hollow spirit cringed for a moment, then cautiously opened his eyes and looked back at Ichigo.

"Tell me what happened," Ichigo said in a more collected tone, "You tell me exactly how I could end up pregnant, and you tell me why you think this is your fault. Don't fuck around, just talk to me."

"Okay," Shirosaki agreed, calming in response to Ichigo's willingness to hear him out, "I think it happened in Hueco Mundo. You were in and out of control there, you remember?"

"Yeah," Ichigo affirmed in a low, rough voice, "I remember that."

"When you were out of it and the hollow side took over, I was aware, but you and the old man weren't. The hollow form was mostly primal and I couldn't really control all of what it did. I wasn't even aware the whole time. I went in and out. Everything was really screwed up."

Ichigo sighed and nodded.

"Go on."

"It was just after you went hollow and we took down that blue-haired son of a bitch in his Pantera form. We collapsed for awhile, but then the hollow form woke up and started to stagger around."

"I woke up pretty far from where Grimmjow and I were fighting," Ichigo recalled, his eyes clouding as he referred to the fallen Sexta Espada, "You're saying that, at some time between, I…had sex with someone?"

"Not really you," Shirosaki explained, "It was your body, and I was barely aware, and just trying to get us somewhere safe, so we could recover. There was a sandstorm, and I lost track of the girl who was with us."

"Orihime."

"Yeah, the hollow form scared her, so I warned her to wait there, and I left. I don't remember a lot after that, but I do remember our reiatsu going crazy, and a…another hollow. A blue-hair, like the one we'd just killed. We were both radiating this crazy fucking reiatsu, and it made the hollow form go even more nuts. It started…y'know, cozying up to this other hollow."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Ichigo said, paling, "I had sex with a hollow?"

"Yeah," Shirosaki related, "A lot of pretty hardcore sex, then both your hollow form and the other hollow passed out. I was out of it for awhile, y'know, until we woke up and staggered back to find the girl."

"So, my hollow form had sex with another hollow," Ichigo said, worry rising in his eyes, "That' means that this…"

He looked down at his stomach, his eyes rounding in alarm.

"I could have a hollow in me?" he asked in a shocked tone, "Shirosaki, I don't know that much about shinigami laws, but even I know that Central 46 outlawed shingamis from sleeping with hollows and making babies with them! If they learn about this…"

"Yeah."

Ichigo stared down at his slim belly, frowning as he spotted the beginnings of a bump below his navel.

"Oh my god…" he whispered, "You're not kidding me, are you? I may have a hollow in me? How do I even tell? Who can I tell? I mean, I usually trust Kisuke, but…but what if he thinks that Central 46 is right? What do I do then? And what if this is a hollow in me? How will it get out? Will it be born some way or will it just eat its way out?!"

"I don't know! I don't know!" Shirosaki said, shaking his head, "I just know I'm not letting anyone fucking hurt you! No one's fucking touching you. I won't let it happen. That's why I think we need to get the hell outta here."

"What? And go where?" Ichigo reasoned, "We can't just disappear into thin air. We need help. I think we're gonna have to go to Kisuke."

"You just said that he might agree with those bastards in Central 46!" Shirosaki objected.

"Well, I may have a hollow in me, and did you think that if it is, it just might try to eat me as it's born?" Ichigo snapped.

"But, you're a human," the hollow spirit offered, "Maybe the kid'll be human…or…or like one of the others who fought in the war. Maybe it'll be like the Vizards!"

"Maybe," Ichigo agreed, "but we have to be careful. We don't want Soul Society knowing…so, even though we tell Kisuke, I think we have to avoid letting anyone else know."

Ichigo took a steadying breath, his emotions calming as their plan fell into place. He looked over to where Old Man Zangetsu laid in the distance, breathing slowly, but not waking.

"Now, you said something else before," he recalled, "You said that Old Man Zangetsu was lying to me about something. What was it? Why didn't you speak up before?"

"I can't tell you exactly what it is," Shirosaki hedged, "Let's just say that even though you're losing your shinigami powers, you may be able to access a different kind of power instead. He forced me to agree to restrict what I can say, but I can tell you that if you try, there's a power that we can use to help keep you stable while this…this uh, kid grows inside you. Your pal, Kisuke, should be able to help. If you think we can trust him, let's go and talk to him."

Ichigo frowned.

"Well, it's a little hard to do that, because I'm sleeping and in my inner world."

"Well, then wake up, stupid!" the hollow spirit said sarcastically.

"Shut up for a second, so I can concentrate."

"Concentrate, hell! Get the fuck out!" Shirosaki hissed, swatting at him like a fly and sending Ichigo tumbling away.

Ichigo felt a sensation like falling, and he crashed down into his body. He forced his eyes open and sat up slowly, holding his head as his ears rang and stars flashed in front of his eyes. A moment later, the nausea struck.

"Oh my god…"

Ichigo bolted from his bed and dashed into the hall, past his little sister, who skidded to a stop, holding his breakfast tray and staring after him as he burst into the bathroom and retched loudly, several times.

"Ichi-nii, are you okay?" Yuzu asked anxiously.

"Y-yeah, yeah, I'm all right," he lied, "Just ah…ate something off last night. Don't worry about it."

Yuzu let out a worried breath.

"Okay, I'll put your breakfast in the refrigerator."

"Thanks. Don't worry, okay? I'm fine."

Yuzu shot a doubtful look at the bathroom door.

"All right," she sighed, "See you later. Karin and I have to leave for school."

Ichigo sat back against the bathroom wall.

"School," he sighed, closing his eyes, "I'm glad I graduated before this happened. But I wanna go to college. I wonder how that's gonna work if I really am…"

He looked down at his stomach, lifting his pajama shirt to look closely. One hand slipped down to touch the faint bump that was beginning to form.

"Damn, Shirosaki must be right," he whispered, "Sick every morning, dizzy spells, passing out sometimes. I gotta be pregnant."

He waited in the bathroom until he heard the others leave the house, then he rinsed his mouth and went back to his room to dress. He left a short time later and headed for Kisuke's shop, carefully avoiding Rukia, who he spotted outside the house.

_I feel a little guilty, not telling her. But Rukia is a Gotei officer and so is Renji. I don't think they'd turn me in, but they could get in trouble for helping me, if Central 46 hears of it. I have to avoid that._

He reached the shop without incident and slipped inside, and down the hall, where he entered the shopkeeper's laboratory and skidded to a stop, staring in surprise at the raven-haired man who sat at Kisuke's computer, entering data. At the sound of his footsteps, Byakuya looked up at him questioningly.

"Ichigo?"

"Ah, yeah. Hi Byakuya," he greeted the noble.

_No way can I let Byakuya know about this. If Rukia and Renji would get in trouble for this, Byakuya, a house leader, would probably get raked over the coals for being connected to something like this. He'd have to…_

"Are you all right, Ichigo?" Byakuya asked, "You look pale. Are you feeling ill again?"

"I'm okay," Ichigo lied, smiling at the noble, "Just ah, just looking for Kisuke."

"Right here," the shopkeeper said, stepping into the room.

Byakuya stood and turned to leave.

"It sounds as though you desire privacy. I will excuse myself."

"Sorry Byakuya," Ichigo said, flushing slightly.

"It is fine."

Byakuya left the room, then walked down the hall and found his cousin, just finishing getting dressed.

"Byakuya-sama?" Tetsuya inquired, noting the odd look on his cousin's face.

"I need you to cloak me in a waterform," Byakuya instructed him.

"Of course," Tetsuya said, employing his power and watching as his cousin's body became nearly transparent, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, please stay here," Byakuya said, heading back into the hallway.

"I'm afraid to leave," Tetsuya sighed, "Every time I go out of this room, Kuri is there, offering to do things for me. He is very kind, Byakuya-sama, but I am sure I have no illusions about his intentions."

"Hmm," Byakuya muttered disapprovingly, "Definitely wait here, then. I will be back, and we will handle this matter together."

"Hai."

Byakuya slipped into the hallway and moved towards the lab. Stymied by the presence of others in the area, he frowned and stepped into the next room, using the bedroom window as an exit and stealing up to the window outside the lab. He extended his senses, listening carefully as Ichigo began to speak. Byakuya's eyes widened at the shinigami substitute's words. His jaw dropped, and he started to step back, only to find himself clasped in a pair of strong arms that gripped him tightly, shattering Tetsuya's waterform and revealing him.

"Kenpachi, you idiot! Let go of me!" he hissed, "You heard what Ichigo just said, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did," the bigger man admitted, "I heard, just like you did."

"And you know what the rules are," Byakuya said anxiously, "Kenpachi, if Central 46 learns of this…"

"Yeah," Kenpachi agreed, still holding Byakuya in place, "What to do. I think we'd better make sure they don't hear about it."

Byakuya stiffened.

"What are going to…?"

Kenpachi sent a quick shock of stunning kido through his colleague's body, then caught him up as he started to collapse.

"Problem solved," the tall man chuckled, lifting the unconscious noble, bridal style, "You know you don't want Ichigo to get hurt. So, you know what we're gonna do? You and I are gonna help him!"


	5. Nakama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo confesses his condition to Kisuke, and the two develop a plan.

"That's a pretty serious look you're wearing," Kisuke observed, turning the chair in front of his computer around and sitting down, facing a second chair that Ichigo sat down on, "What's up?"

Ichigo bit nervously at his lip, choosing his words carefully.

"Kisuke, I think I'm in trouble, here, and not just because I'm losing my powers."

The shopkeeper nodded.

"I've been thinking lately that something seemed even more off than it should be, considering what's happening in your body. So, you think that also?"

"Yeah," Ichigo affirmed, "Or maybe it's better to just say that I know something isn't right. I've been having lots of stomach upset in the morning and then I get cravings for food…tons of food, even food I don't like."

Kisuke gave a little laugh.

"Sounds like you're having a baby," he joked.

He started to laugh again, but then noticed the serious look on the younger man's face. His own smile faded and he looked at Ichigo uncertainly.

"Are you telling me…?"

"I was able to enter my inner world," Ichigo explained.

"What? Really?" the shopkeeper said, giving him a surprised look, "Your inner world. But, that's really not supposed to be happening at this point…although…"

"Although what?" Ichigo asked, narrowing his eyes, "What are you telling me, Kisuke?"

Ichigo thought carefully.

"It seems like there's something about me that everybody doesn't want me to know."

"Everybody…?" Kisuke repeated, giving him a mystified look, "Who is everybody?"

"Well, I just mean that Shirosaki told me…"

"Wait," Kisuke said, taking him by the shoulders, "You didn't tell me that Shirosaki was there! That really shouldn't be the case, at this point."

"I know," Ichigo agreed, "but the thing is, something happened. I tapped into a power that Shirosaki knows is there in me, but Old Man Zangetsu made him promise not to reveal it to me."

"Old Man Zangetsu was there too?" Kisuke asked, shaking his head in disbelief, "Ichigo, this is defying quite a bit of the science that actually applies to you."

"Yeah," Ichigo said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "But, you know I'm not so good at sticking to the rules."

"You can say that again," Kisuke said wonderingly, "So, tell me everything you can about this. What else did Shirosaki and the old man tell you?"

"I'm afraid it's not much, but I'm going to have to ask you, as my mentor and my friend not to tell anyone what I confide in you. I'm in real trouble, and only you can help me get out of it."

"You know you can count on me," Kisuke assured him, "I'll do whatever I can."

"I have to be careful, because what I learned is not going to go over well if Central 46 gets wind of it. I don't even know how you're gonna react."

"Well, why don't you give me the facts, and we'll see where we are?"

"The facts," Ichigo repeated anxiously, "Okay, here are the facts. In my inner world, Old Man Zangetsu is out cold. He has been for awhile. But, he had some hold over Shirosaki that has something to do with my powers. Shirosaki just said that I have a power I may need, because…well, because of what's going on with me."

Kisuke nodded.

"You gave me an odd look when I joked about you being pregnant," he said, frowning, "Am I to assume that's what you're going to tell me?"

"Yeah," Ichigo confessed softly, "And the thing is…we know it can't be a human partner, because that just doesn't happen to living world folk."

"True," the shopkeeper confirmed, "although you are a little different than a normal human. Still, there are several possibilities."

"Shirosaki said that after my fight with Grimmjow, my hollow form took over and mated with another hollow."

Kisuke's eyes widened.

"Say what now?" he managed in a shocked tone.

"You heard me," Ichigo said in a low, worried tone, "I got knocked up by a hollow."

Kisuke's lips moved, struggling to form some kind of answer, but he was shocked into stillness all over again as a knock sounded on the window.

"Huh?" Ichigo mused, "What the heck?"

Kisuke shook his head in confusion and opened the window, then he gazed in wordless surprise as he spotted Kenpachi with an unconscious Byakuya thrown over his shoulder.

"Hey there, Kenpachi," the shopkeeper chuckled, his curiosity overtaking his concern for a moment, "I thought you and Byakuya-san were supposed to be making up for inappropriate fighting, here, not adding to your punishment by fighting more. What did you do to him?"

"I knocked him out," the tall, lanky shinigami said, matter-of-factly, "He was listening in on whatever Ichigo just told you, and something told me that you wouldn't really appreciate that."

"Y-yeah," Kisuke agreed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, "It would be kinda awkward…"

Kenpachi smirked.

"So, whaddya want me to do with him?"

"I think you'd better bring him inside," Kisuke decided.

Ichigo made a sound of dismay as Kenpachi entered through the window with Byakuya slung carelessly over his shoulder.

"What the hell? What…?"

"Just put him over here," Kisuke directed Kenpachi.

What happened to Byakuya? Is he okay? Was it another hollow attack?"

"No hollows," Kenpachi assured him, "He was just listening in and your buddy thought that was a bad idea."

"What are you doing, Kisuke?" Ichigo objected as the shopkeeper gave the unconscious shinigami a quick injection, "You…?"

Kisuke gave Ichigo a concerned look.

"I don't think you want Kuchiki Byakuya left running around with knowledge of what you just told me."

"Byakuya knows?" Ichigo asked, paling.

"I do too," Kenpachi admitted, "I don't plan to go blabbing to anyone, but feel free to knock me out too, if you think you can."

"Nah," Kisuke sighed, shaking his head, "we need you to carry sleeping beauty, here."

"Carry him?" Kenpachi repeated, "Where are we going?"

Kisuke's eyes lost all sign of joviality.

"We need to take him somewhere Central 46 and the Gotei 13 can't find him."

"What?" Ichigo objected, "You mean, I have to just…disappear?"

"You may have made offspring with an unknown hollow, while in your hollow form," Kisuke said worriedly, "We really can't afford for this to get back to Soul Society. We have to do everything we can to stop it right here."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya sensed the destruction of the waterform he had used to conceal his cousin, and he felt an odd jolt in Byakuya's usually strong reiatsu. His eyes narrowed and darkened, and he headed out the bedroom window in the direction of the disturbance. Almost immediately, Shima Kurushimi appeared in his path.

Tetsuya loosed a flustered breath and colored slightly in reaction.

"S-sorry, Kurushimi-sama," he said hastily, "I sensed a disturbance in my cousin's reiatsu. I need to get to him immediately."

"Good, I'll come with you," Kuri said, moving to follow.

"You don't really need to…"

"Nonsense," Kuri chided him, "Byakurai is the leader of an allied clan. It is expected that any allied clan leader would assist you."

"V-very well," Tetsuya said in a flustered tone, heading around a corner of the building, where he came to a stop, looking around curiously.

"What is it, Tetsu-hana?"

"It's strange," Tetsuya said, studying the feel of the traces of reiatsu in the air around them, "I feel Byakuya-sama's presence here. I can tell that he was just here, but I cannot sense his location now. It's very odd."

"Well," Kuri said, rubbing his chin, "Byakurai is pretty damned good at hiding his reiatsu."

"He is," Tetsuya agreed, "But he was under the cover of one of my waterforms. He might well have been masking his reiatsu, but I sensed the destruction of the waterform. Why might he abandon it? And if he did, why continue to mask his reiatsu? Above all, where is he now?"

"Hmm," Kuri mused, tilting his head and closing his eyes for a moment, "I sense another reiatsu here, don't you?"

Tetsuya frowned.

"Zaraki Kenpachi," he agreed, "But…does that mean that he is the one who shattered the waterform?"

"Why was Byakurai skulking around here in a waterform anyway, Tetsu-hana?" Kuri inquired.

"Actually, he didn't say," Tetsuya recalled, "but this window in front of us is outside Urahara-san's laboratory."

"So, maybe your pretty cousin was eavesdropping on our friendly neighborhood shopkeeper, who, I happen to know, was talking to Ichibun at the time. So, I wonder what was going on in there."

"I'm not sure, but I know that Byakuya-sama has been troubled by something to do with Ichigo for awhile now."

Kuri gave Tetsuya an amused look.

"You know, for a man who claims to be so annoyed by Ichibun, Byakurai spends a lot of time worrying about him."

"Hmm," Tetsuya said thoughtfully, "Byakuya-sama's feelings about Ichigo are complicated. He does see Ichigo as a troublemaker and a disturber of the peace, but he owes Ichigo for at least three occasions when his actions helped Byakuya-sama in important ways."

Kuri nodded.

"Byakurai doesn't forget his debts. So, he was listening in to the conversation in there and what? Can we presume he wishes to help in whatever situation Ichibun is in?"

"We don't know for sure that there is a situation beyond the fact that Ichigo is losing his powers," Tetsuya mused, frowning.

"Oh, my lovely Tetsu-hana," Kuri said, making Tetsuya flinch with the endearing inflection of the nickname, "With Ichibun in the equation, there is always a situation beyond the obvious, isn't there?"

The two men startled as Kisuke's head suddenly poked out of the laboratory room window, and looked out at them, wearing an amused smile.

"Good morning, gentlemen," he greeted them, "Can I help you with something?"

"I'm looking for Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya explained, "He was borrowing use of one of my waterforms, and I felt it break in this vicinity, so Kurushimi-sama…"

"Kuri-Kuri," the shima leader corrected him.

"Eh, Kuri-Kuri-sama was helping me to look for him. We sensed he might be in the company of Zaraki taicho."

"Looks like you're batting a thousand today," Kisuke said, smirking slightly, "Why don't you boys come inside."

"Is Byakuya-sama with you?" Tetsuya asked, looking confused, "I couldn't sense him. I still can't."

"Come on in," the shopkeeper urged him, "I'll explain things when we get inside."

The shopkeeper stepped aside and Tetsuya crawled through the window, followed closely by a smirking Kurushimi. Tetsuya stiffened as he slid inside, landing awkwardly and falling back into Kurushimi's surprised arms.

"B-byakuya-sama!" Tetsuya yelped, trying to pull free of Kuri, who read Kisuke's expression and tightened his grip to hold the struggling younger Kuchiki in place.

"What happened to him? Why is he unconscious?" Tetsuya demanded, "Let go of me, Kuri-Kuri-sama!"

"Hold on. Take it easy," Kisuke said, holding up his hands defensively, "Byakuya-san's okay. He's fine, Tetusya. But we have a complicated situation on our hands, and we need to think things through before anyone takes any rash action."

"I would call knocking out my cousin, a rash action, wouldn't you?" Tetsuya seethed, "You tell me what is going on, or…"

"Please, don't make me have to knock you out too," Kisuke groaned, "Tetsuya, look, it's not that we wanted to hurt Byakuya-san. We don't, and we're not going to."

"But?" Tetsuya prompted him, glaring warningly.

"But, Byakuya-san overheard something that he really shouldn't have. It may obligate him to act in a way he doesn't want to. We're trying not to obligate him."

"By knocking him out?"

"Well, Urahara didn't originally knock him out," said Kenpachi, crossing his arms, "I did. I can knock you out too, if you wanna cause trouble, little twinkie."

"What did you call me?" Tetsuya hissed furiously.

"Wow," Kenpachi laughed, "you're starting to get as riled up as Byakuya does. You're a chip off the ol' cupcake, aren't you?"

"You…!"

"Maybe we should take this conversation elsewhere," Kisuke said in a placating tone, "Let me just be straight with you. Ichigo is in a pretty big mess, and he needs his friends to help him right now. You're one of his friends, right, Tetsuya?"

"Of course," Tetsuya answered in a flustered tone, "If Ichigo is in trouble, then, of course, I want to help. But, what does that have to do with knocking out my cousin?"

"You know that sometimes Byakuya also wants to help Ichigo," Kisuke explained, "but there are some situations in which he really can't, because it would get him in trouble with the family or Central 46…so he helps without looking like he's helping."

"Y-yes," Tetsuya said, relaxing slightly, "Just what is the situation that would force Byakuya-sama to act against his wishes? If you want me to help, then at least answer that!"

"Okay," Kisuke agreed, "but realize that if you also feel the need to act as you think Byakuya-san would, then we can't let you leave this room, Tetsuya."

Tetsuya met Ichigo's worried eyes for a moment, then glanced at his unconscious cousin. He addressed his next words directly to Ichigo.

"I think that you know that neither my cousin nor I want any harm to come to you," Tetsuya said solemnly, "If you are in trouble and it is of a kind that Byakuya-sama can't be involved in, I can act more freely, because I am not under the same constraints as he is. As long as I have your word that Byakuya-sama will not be harmed in any way, I will do what I can to help you, on his behalf. But…given that I can't refuse a direct order from Byakuya-sama, you will want to make sure that he and I do not cross paths while I am helping you."

"So," Kisuke reasoned, "we keep him out cold, or just keep you two separated."

"That way, I am left free to act as I choose," Tetsuya affirmed.

"Thank you, Tetsuya," Ichigo said in a sad, weary tone, "I'm in real trouble and I don't know what anyone can do."

"Ichigo was impregnated under some really muddy circumstances, while he was fighting in Hueco Mundo," Kisuke explained, "And until I determine just what we're dealing with, here, we need to get away from here and make sure Central 46 and the Gotei 13 don't hear a whisper about it."

"So," Kenpachi said, lifting Byakuya into his arms, "when do we go?"

Kisuke picked up the cane that housed his concealed weapon. He extended the sheathed blade and breathed a few words that made a garganta open in front of them.

"We're going to Hueco Mundo?" Tetsuya asked.

"No," the shopkeeper explained, "We're only making it seem like we did. We're actually going to a quiet little cottage that is protected from Central 46's eyes. I'll be able to examine Ichigo more thoroughly, and we can see where we are after that."

He waited as Kenpachi carried Byakuya through the doorway, then Kuri and Tetsuya followed alongside Ichigo.

"Are you sure you're comfortable with this, Tetsuya?" Ichigo asked, "I know it upset you that Kenpachi knocked Byakuya out."

"I suppose he had to," Tetsuya sighed, "Urahara-san was right that Byakuya-sama is often conflicted between what is expected of him, and what he wishes to do. I am lucky, in a way, because the fact that the elders excluded me from certain privileges, due to my being a half-blood, I am also not held to the same constraints that Byakuya-sama is. I am not able to disobey a direct command, but if I avoid coming face to face with him, then there is no issue."

"I'm sorry for putting you in that position."

Tetsuya gave him a shy smile.

"We're friends," he said, laying a hand on Ichigo's arm, "You would help me if the situation was reversed."

"Yeah," Ichigo sighed gratefully, "I would."

"You know you have the support of my family too," Kuri added.

"Thanks, that means a lot," Ichigo said, smiling at him.

"We'd better get a move on," Kisuke urged the group, "before we attract any unwanted attention."

The group moved forward, following the bright path of reiatsu that Kisuke laid down in front of them. A pair of blue eyes locked on the group, and a dark shape moved to follow them, as they disappeared into the blackness.


	6. The Refuge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kisuke takes Ichigo to a place safe from discovery, but who is following?

Ichigo paused for a moment as the little group emerged from the darkness of the garganta, and dropped onto the sands of Hueco Mundo. Immediately, the shopkeeper opened another passage and beckoned for the others to follow.

"Another garganta?" Ichigo inquired.

"Not exactly," Kisuke chuckled, smirking, "You see, while I was examining the garganta to perfect its use for our side, I realized that if I opened one from Soul Society or the living world, the Squad Twelve audio and visual devices would sense it. However, if I traveled first, to Hueco Mundo and then opened a garganta from within the hollow world, the dominant reiatsu of that world's inhabitants would shield my action from discovery. So, they might learn that I traveled to Hueco Mundo, but they wouldn't be able to track my moves from there. I also learned that I could use the garganta to go to specific places within the precipice world, without using the corridors that are monitored by the Gotei 13."

"Come again?" Ichigo mused, shaking his head, "What exactly does that mean?"

"What it means," Kuri interjected "is that we will be able to enter a pocket dimension within the precipice world, without entering the monitored corridor, right?"

"Right," Kisuke affirmed, "The Gotei can't keep eyes on all of the endless pocket dimensions within the precipice world. It's simply not possible. So, after I figured that out, I located some out of the way pocket dimensions and reported them back as dangerous or useless worlds."

"When, really, those worlds were useful to you in some way," Tetsuya added.

"Yes," Kisuke said, nodding, "In the name of protecting people I care about, I sometimes have to conduct experiments in which I use methods, procedures or devices that the Gotei would really frown upon, so I do that work in these hidden pocket dimensions. The one we are traveling to is also my secret vacation location, so it'll be comfy, in addition to having everything I'll need to fully diagnose and assist Ichigo."

The others fell quiet, and Tetsuya edged closer to a surprised Kuri as an uncomfortable thought occurred to all of the gathered friends.

_What happens if Ichigo's baby is full hollow?_

_What will Kisuke do then?_

"Hey guys," Kisuke said, as though reading their collective mind, "don't look so discouraged. I found answers when we were facing Aizen. I can bring Ichigo through this too. And all of you are here. You're as devoted to him as I am. It's going to be okay. We'll find a way to…to work this out."

"I think everyone's just afraid to say that they're as worried as I am that you are going to have to terminate my pregnancy," Ichigo said, his voice shaking, "I know that you may have to, but I also know that you'll do everything you can to save my baby."

"I will," Kisuke promised.

The worried faces of the others brightened slightly.

"Hey, can we get moving?" Kenpachi complained, shifting the body he held tossed over his shoulder, "The princess, here, is getting heavy."

"Don't let Byakurai hear you say that," Kuri chuckled, earning a look of reproach from Tetsuya, "unless you want to continue your fight here."

Kenpachi shrugged.

"Here, there, it's all good," he laughed.

"You never change, do you?" Kuri laughed.

Kenpachi shrugged.

"Why change what's broke in a way that works?"

Ichigo gave the man an amused look.

"You know, that makes absolutely no sense, but…I'm really grateful to you…to all of you. I'm still scared, but I do feel better, knowing that you're with me on this."

"We will do what we can," Tetsuya promised.

"Whatever you need, we will do our best to give that to you," Kuri added, earning a look of cautious approval from Byakuya's younger cousin.

"I'm in," Kenpachi chimed in, "I just hope there's going to be some good fighting involved at some point, or this is going to be boring."

"Well," said Kisuke, "once sleeping beauty wakes up, it will be your job to make sure that he doesn't get us all caught and locked up. How's that? Enough of a challenge for you?"

Kenpachi gave him a lopsided smile.

"Could be," he chuckled.

"All right," Kisuke said, opening the second garganta, "Let's keep moving. We're still a little vulnerable to tracking until we leave here. If I know ol' Mayuri, he's already got eyes on me, and he'll be watching to see where I pop up next."

"Man," Ichigo sighed, "I really don't like that guy. He's just crazy, you know? If I was caught, I'm pretty sure he'd have me in his lab and be doing gross and disgusting things to me. Ugh! I don't wanna think about…"

Ichigo's breath caught suddenly as he felt a strange twinge inside and his belly began to radiate with a gentle blue glow.

"Wh-what the heck? Kisuke!"

"Hey, hey, hey," the shopkeeper objected, stopping the group, but closing the garganta behind them, "you're not supposed to be doing stuff to get us noticed."

"Well, it's not like I can help it," the ginger haired man complained, "It just…happened!"

"I can see that," Kisuke chuckled, "Hang on, I don't think it's dangerous."

"You don't think it's dangerous? Oh, that makes me feel a lot better," Ichigo said sarcastically.

"What's going on?" Kenpachi asked, frowning.

"What's going on is that Ichigo's body is responding to some stimulus that made his body react," Kisuke answered.

Tetsuya nodded.

"Different things can cause such a response in a pregnant male," he explained, "The most common is the near presence of the father."

Ichigo's eyes widened.

"You mean that the hollow that fathered my kid could be somewhere around here?" he demanded, "Is there a way to know that?"

Tetsuya nodded.

"If you are approached by the father of the baby, the glow would pulsate, and the two of you would probably feel strong urges to balance the reaitsu in your bodies through reiatsu sharing, then to relieve any internal tension through sexual acts."

"I don't feel so well," Ichigo said, paling and placing a hand on his still glowing belly, "Are you telling me that I would just…have sex with the hollow again? I mean, would I lose my mind or something? I wouldn't be able to stop it?"

Tetsuya gave him an encouraging smile.

"You wouldn't lose your mind," he assured the anxious young man, "It's just that the bonding ends with a little buildup of sexual tension from the close contact, and the partners' natural urge is to release it through sex."

"I don't have any natural urge to have sex with hollows!" Ichigo snapped.

"Hey now," Kisuke said, touching his arm, "don't yell at Tetsuya. He's trying to help. He's right that a lot of what happens between mates during a pregnancy like this is driven by primal instincts. It's not something that makes you lose control. It's just signals your body gives you to protect and nurture the baby. Try not to be so worried over that."

"Maybe we should all be more worried that the baby's father might be near us," Kuri suggested, looking around. I don't know about all of you, "but I don't like the idea that it could be following us."

"Well, it doesn't actually mean the father is here," Kisuke went on, "It could just mean that he passed through the area recently. There's no real good way to tell. But, we'll play it safe and keep close to Ichigo."

The group began moving through the darkness again, and as they did, Ichigo continued to glance warily down at his softly glowing abdomen, noting the little changes in the light level.

 _This is so weird_ , he mused, I know that Kisuke doesn't want to scare me, so there are probably things he's not telling me. But even if he does keep some things to himself, he's only doing it so that I won't worry. I have enough to worry about. I don't wanna give up my kid, but I'll have to, if that kid is a hollow.

_God, what'll I do, if it comes to that?_

He paused, slightly behind the rest of the group as Kisuke called a halt and opened a doorway out of the dark corridor.

_I hope there's some good food where we're going. I'm starved._

He started to move to rejoin the rest, but felt a jolt of surprise and terror as a clawed hand wrapped around his mouth, silencing him as he was yanked back further into the darkness.

"Mmph!" he complained, struggling.

"Hold still, you little bastard!" hissed a familiar male voice in his ear, "I just wanna talk to you for a…"

Ichigo and his captor stared in surprise as the light from Ichigo's belly brightened, and a similar light radiated around the stunned Espada's hands.

"I thought you were dead!" Ichigo whispered, "Grimmjow…"

The two exchanged looks of horrified fascination.

"It was you!" they said together.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I tell you, that sneaky little weasel is up to something!" Mayuri insisted, clenching his hands into fists and shaking with fury as he faced the captain commander, "I don't know what secret he's harboring this time, but I'm sure it's illegal, and it will make all of us look bad when it explodes."

Old man Yamamoto looked back at the twelfth division leader, frowning sternly.

"Tell me again exactly what you recorded."

Mayuri extended a palm, and a hologram appeared, showing Kisuke and several others in his laboratory. The image was moderately distorted, so the identities of several of the occupants were unclear.

"So, he met with some folks in his laboratory," Yamamoto said, rubbing his chin," Or did you pick up something incriminating?"

"The sound was also distorted, but clearly, there is something unsavory going on. And after this, the group appears to enter a garganta. I registered an entrance into Hueco Mundo a short time later. I tracked them to thr point shown on the map, then they just disappeared."

"That is odd," the captain commander admitted, "But nothing you've shown me conclusively shows he is doing anything illegal."

"That troublemaker is always doing something illegal!"

"This coming from him?" Shunsui snickered softly, where he stood beside Juushiro at Yamamoto's side, "That's funny."

"Shut up, you slobbering drunk!" Mayuri hissed scathingly, "It's not like you'd see anything, even if it happened right in front of you, as much as you drink!"

"Enough!" Yamamoto snapped, "I will explore this and get back to you. I am sure that you have other things to concentrate on."

"Sotaicho, you can't be saying you're not going to do anything…"

"I just said that I will explore the matter, now get out!" Yamamoto roared.

Shunsui suppressed another snicker as the angry taicho stomped out of the first division headquarters.

"He's pretty wound up," Ukitake said.

"When is he not?" Shunsui sighed.

"Well, we need to know if there's anything to his report," Yama said sternly, "You two escorted Byakuya and Kenpachi to Karakura Town, ne?"

"We did," Ukitake assured him, "Kisuke had Byakuya working in the laboratory and Kenpachi doing chores around the shop."

"Hmm, if Byakuya has been in the lab, then he may have seen or heard something. I doubt anything major is going on, but it's best to be sure. I want the two of you to go to Karakura Town and look into this personally. Keep it quiet, because it's probably nothing. Still, if it is something, we don't want to alert anyone that we know."

"Of course," Shunsui agreed, "We'll be completely discreet, "We'll, ah, tell them that we're there for a furlough."

"Do whatever works," Yama growled softly, "I want this matter resolved so that infernal masked idiot stays away from my division!"

"We'll take care of it," Juushiro said, smiling disarmingly, "Come, Shunsui, we should leave at once."

"Right," his colleague giggled as they stepped out of the head captain's chambers, "we need to leave before he changes his mind. I'm looking forward to a little vacation."

"It's hardly that," Juushiro said, looking amused, "but it could be fun."

The two returned to their respective divisions for a short preparation, then headed for the central senkaimon. They were surprised to hear their names being called from behind them, and turned to see Renji and Rukia arriving.

"What is it?" asked Juushiro, "What's going on?"

"Sorry to bother you, sirs," Rukia panted, "but we were trying to find Ichigo, and he's not where he should be."

"Not where he should be?" Juushiro repeated, "What exactly do you mean?"

"Well," said Renji, "we were informed that there have been a couple of low level hollow attacks, and it was Ichigo's responsibility to take care of them, but he didn't respond."

"There were other shinigamis in the area, so they took care of it," Rukia added, "But Ichigo should at least have made contact with them. They said they didn't hear anything form him, and no one we've talked to has seen him."

"That's odd," Shunsui said, rubbing his chin.

"Even stranger is the fact that my brother has also not been in contact with us," Rukia continued"

"Well, Yama-jii did sentence Byakuya and Kenpachi to some time in Karakura Town for unauthorized fighting," Shunsui reminded them.

"But even if Nii-sama is not at home, he is usually in contact with the family, so that he can keep up to date on things. The elders reported that he hadn't made contact with them."

"That's very strange," Juushiro agreed, "Well, we were just about to go to Karakura Town. Why don't the two of you tag along, since this seems to relate to what you have told us."

"Do you think they've gotten into some kind of trouble?" Renji asked anxiously, "Taicho is better, but he's still healing from the fighting."

"I'm sure it's nothing Byakuya couldn't handle," Ukitake said bracingly, "but we'll go on to the shop to make sure of that."

"Hai!" Rukia and Renji said together, falling in with the two elder taichos.

The four immediately noticed the heightened presence of increased monitors and patrols within the precipice world.

"Mayuri is taking all of this pretty seriously," Juushiro noted, "Although, we have just ended a war, and things are chaotic in Hueco Mundo."

"You can say that again," Renji grumbled, "There's no leadership, so the rank and file hollows are kinda just wreaking havoc wherever they happen to be. I didn't like Aizen or Barragan, but they at least kept the hollows under some level of control."

"Hopefully, the few Espadas who survived will work things out."

"We are trying to support that," Ukitake assured them, "But even with cooperation on both sides, it will take time."

They exited the precipice world and dropped down into Kisuke's underground training area. They were met by Tessai, who was quick to reassure them.

"Oh, that bunch," he chuckled, "Well, you know how things have been so crazy in Hueco Mundo. See, the boss is trying to make contact with some of the hollows who are more receptive to negotiation. He took the others for added protection, given the way things are there. He'll be amking a full report when he returns. All of you are welcome to stay for dinner, if you like. I have plenty."

"That would be great," Juushiro chuckled, "I was pretty sure there was nothing to worry about, but you know Mayuri when he gets something into his head."

"I do at that," Tessai sighed, shaking his head, "Don't know why Kisuke ever let that bastard outta the Maggot's Nest. He's a good scientist, but he's insane, and that makes him dangerous."

The four followed Tessai up the ladder, into the shop, where they parted ways to wash up before their meal. Juushiro met Shunsui in the hallway, and the two paused for a moment before entering the kitchen.

"What do you think?" Shunsui asked, "You think something's going on?"

Juushiro smiled.

"Probably, but there's nothing that we can pin to that, so I think we have to stay here and poke around some more."

"Hmm," Shunsui said, smiling, "I'm up for the vacation. Are you?"

Juushiro nodded.

"Always."


	7. No Stars Steering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grimmjow explains things to Ichigo.

Ichigo made a sound of surprise and instant objection as Grimmjow opened a doorway out of the underground cavern and dragged him through, then threw him down on the sand so hard that it exploded around them, flying in all directions.

"What the fuck?" the hollow yelled, "What the everloving _hell_? _You're_ the hollow I mated with? But that's just not possible!"

"You're telling me?" Ichigo shouted back, "I thought you were dead, asshole! You'd think that if you were alive and you…you…"

Grimmjow's lips curled into a wicked sneer.

"What? Fucked the living daylights outta you?" he snickered.

"SHUT UP!" Ichigo roared, "There's no way I'd let you ever put your hands on me! You're crazy! This is insane!"

"Oh, you think _this_ is insane?" Grimmjow snorted, "It gets better."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, picking himself up off the ground, "How does it get better? Although, I know you mean it's worse."

"I'm surprised, cause usually you're as slow as shit understanding anything."

"Hey! You wanna stop insulting me and just try to focus for a second? You were telling me this gets worse. How does it get worse?"

Grimmjow's angry blue eyes narrowed.

"See, I was in my Pantera form when I fu…erm…when we mated, so you're probably not just having one little brat, you're having a goddamned litter!"

"Wh-what?" Ichigo asked, paling and putting a hand to his head, "Hey, I don't feel so good."

"Not surprising," Grimmjow snorted sarcastically, "and I haven't even started yet."

"It gets worse?" Ichigo said weakly.

"Hey, uh, you're looking like you're gonna puke. Like, turn around, so you don't get me, okay?"

"Jerk!" Ichigo hissed, turning away as his face went grey and his stomach lurched.

"Ugh," Grimmjow grunted, grimacing as Ichigo dropped to his knees, heaving, "Jeez…you're a fucking shame."

"Bleagh!" Ichigo spat, "You did this to me, stupid! It's your damned fault."

Grimmjow started to answer, then made a face as the ginger haired man threw up again.

"What the heck?" Ichigo panted, "Is this some kinda revenge cause I kicked your ass or something?"

"Huh? Hell no!" Grimmjow snarled, "You think I'd wanna do that with you, you little shini-human-hollow shit? I don't even know what you are. I wouldn't wanna screw you!"

"You think I'd wanna do it with _you_?"

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, shook his head and sighed in annoyance.

"Hell, I don't think it really matters what either of us wanted. We fucking mated and now we're having midget mutations. And you might not remember us making the little demons, but you're sure as hell gonna remember how many times were gonna have to do bonding, cause we'll usually have sex after that."

"Bonding? More sex? You think I'm gonna do any of that with you? You're out of your mind! I'm not letting you touch me again. You come near me or try to lay a hand on me, I'll really fucking kill you this time, you perverted freak!" Ichigo yelled.

Grimmjow crossed his arms, glaring at the ginger-haired man as Ichigo dragged himself to his feet and started to stomp away.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Anywhere you're not!" Ichigo steamed.

"We're in the middle of freaking _nowhere_ , and you don't have a way to open a garganta or a map to tell you where to go. And you're heading towards nasty bastards that you don't really wanna meet."

"If they're not you, I'll take _them_!" Ichigo shouted, flash stepping away.

"What the hell?" Grimmjow gasped, his eyes widening, "Ichigo!"

Using his sonido, he hurried after the angry youth, spouting obscenities all the way. Ichigo continued to flash step forward, unleashing equally scathing words.

"No damned way I'm going anywhere with that jerk. And no way he's touching me again. Moron. Who does he think he…"

He broke off and skidded to a stop as a huge canine form rose up in front of him and a feeling like ice filled his veins.

"What is…?"

He almost jumped out of his skin as Grimmjow's arm wrapped securely around his waist.

"Take it easy," the sexta Espada breathed into his ear, "That's a fucking spirit wolf. His scratch'll poison you, and his bite will make you one of them. Just relax. He won't attack because he respects my power."

"What're you talking to me like that for?" Ichigo snapped, struggling slightly, but watching the wolf with wary eyes as it raised its snout into the air and howled.

"We'll back away slowly," Grimmjow instructed him, his voice remaining oddly calm and quiet and his eyes trained on the wolf in front of them. Ichigo's breath caught as he spotted more dark forms approaching them.

"Grimmjow…"

"I got it. Trust me. I won't let them hurt you."

"But…"

"Hang on."

Ichigo heard the hollow's sonido engage, and he felt himself swept along in Grimmjow's tight embrace. He blazed across the darkened sand, holding Ichigo against him, and not slowing until he found a little cave that had no fresh reiatsu around it. He carried the stymied youth into the cave, then let him down onto his feet. Ichigo swallowed hard and stared wordlessly as Grimmjow turned a wary blue eye on him.

"You really wanna die that bad?" the hollow asked, his voice still deadly calm and serious.

"You, uh…you act like you actually give a damn," Ichigo said more quietly.

"Yeah?" the sexta Espada huffed, looking away, "That's just because, now that we did this to ourselves, we can't undo it."

"What do you mean by that?" Ichigo asked, sitting down on the sandy floor of the cave, "I mean, yeah, we're having some kids now, but after I have'em…?"

"What? You think fate's gonna make it that fucking easy for either one of us? You think either one of us gets to just walk away?" Grimmjow sighed, looking annoyed, "We're among the most powerful hollows. We bond with one mate. That's it. After that, there's no one else. Ever."

"What? Are you talking about kids?"

Grimmjow let out a disgusted breath.

"It's not just the kids. You and I are bonded. We're connected with each other. As we bond more for the kids that are growing in you, we're gonna get closer in our heads too. We're gonna sense things…where our mate is, if they're in trouble…if they're _with_ someone else."

"Ugh, really? Damn!" Ichigo said, shaking his head, "Is there any way out of it?"

"Heh, just one," the hollow huffed, smirking sarcastically, "We can die. That's about it. Other than that, we're as chained as a married human couple."

"Huh," Ichigo mused, looking down at his slightly glowing belly, "Wow…"

"Yeah."

Ichigo remained silent as Grimmjow moved closer and sat down beside him. He turned sideways and met Ichigo's eyes, his own betraying more than a little anxiety.

"You were throwing up before," the hollow explained, "I'll need to bond with you."

Ichigo gave him a conflicted look.

"But, you said that it would…"

"Make us horny, yeah," Grimmjow agreed, "But, even though it will be a pretty damned strong impulse, I'm not gonna touch you without your permission."

"You did before," the ginger-haired man complained, "That's how we got into this mess, isn't it?"

"Fool," Grimmjow chided him in a half-hearted tone, "First mating isn't a matter of choice, not for either of the couple. It's a matter of fate."

"Right. Like you and I would be _fated_ for something like that," Ichigo huffed.

"We're both powerful," the Espada reasoned, "Our power was radiating real strongly around the battleground. I dunno why it happened. It just did. No way to go but forward from here. We have to bond. If we don't, you'll have stronger and stronger symptoms, until your body is overwhelmed and you just…die."

"Yeah? I'd like to avoid dying if possible."

"Do you wanna avoid it enough to stay close to me and do what I tell you?"

"What? I'm not gonna…!"

"Ichigo, you're knocked up by a hollow. You've gotta know that there are rules in Soul Society about that."

"Yeah, but I'm a human."

"No," Grimmjow corrected him, "You're some kinda weird hybrid freak that doesn't follow the rules. They don't like that. Central 46 has a habit of handing out death sentences to freaks like that. It's not safe for you to go back."

"Kisuke was taking care of that, before you dragged me away," Ichigo reminded him.

"Urahara can't give you the infusions," Grimmjow said sternly, "Only I can do that. We get one shot at this, so we'd better not screw up."

"I don't get it," Ichigo said, frowning, "Why do you care about me or the kids? I mean, so it means you won't have another mate, but it's not like you wanna raise these kids with me or something."

"I don't know what I wanna do. I'm just making shit up as I go along, but…I'm gonna stay with you."

"But, why?"

"Because I want to, that's why!" Grimmjow snapped, "Now, stop asking stupid questions and let me see your belly."

"No! I don't wanna…"

"For the bonding, dummy," Grimmjow said impatiently, extending a hand and sliding it under Ichigo's clothes.

"Just my belly, dickhead," Ichigo warned him, "I'm slapping that hand if it goes any lower."

"Like I'd wanna play with your puny little stuff," the hollow teased.

"Bet yours is smaller than mine, little kitty," Ichigo snickered.

"Don't call me that."

"Don't put your hand near my dick!"

"It's not anywhere near your dick! It's on your stomach. Shut up, I'm trying to concentrate."

"On what? Are you already wanting to have sex with me?"

"What? Hell no! I'm trying to focus on where the reiatsu needs to go. Be quiet and let me do that!"

"All right. Sheesh, fine!"

Ichigo quieted, his golden brown eyes watching Grimmjow's hand as blue light leaked out and seeped into his stomach.

"Grimmjow?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know if the kids we have…?"

He paused and swallowed hard.

"Do you, um, know if they will be…hollows?"

Grimmjow continued to quietly infuse Ichigo's soft, white belly with his reiatsu.

"Well, they'll be at least part hollow," he reasoned, "because both of us have that. I don't know if any human or shinigami will come through."

Ichigo gave a long, shuddering sigh.

"Damn."

Grimmjow looked up at him for a moment.

"Sucks, huh?"

"Yeah," Ichigo answered, his eyes clouding miserably, "I guess I don't dare go home til I know for sure."

"Probably best," Grimmjow agreed, "But, since I'm kinda looking out for you, you can come and stay with me."

"What? In another cave?" Ichigo asked gloomily.

"Nah," the hollow laughed, withdrawing his hands, "I don't live in a cave."

"Oh?"

"Tier, Nel and I fixed up Las Noches. I have a nice place there. We also have good healers. It's the only place that's not in chaos. We keep it well shielded. We can go there."

"Okay."

Grimmjow frowned, studying Ichigo's downcast expression.

"What's wrong? Homesick? You can't go there. But, look, I'll tell you what. If you want me to, I'll get word back to your friends, then they can come and see you here. Except maybe for that blue-eyed cutie who was touching you before."

"Huh? Tetsuya?" Ichigo chuckled, "He's just a friend. He was healing me."

"I don't care what he was doing. I don't want his hands or anything else on you."

"Tetsuya's harmless," Ichigo laughed, "And my cousin, Kuri, likes him."

"I don't like him or your cousin, so they'd better just…"

"Damn, you talk like a jealous husband!"

"Hey asshole," Grimmjow snapped, "As far as the rules of hollow mating go, I _am_ your goddamned husband, and don't you forget that!"

"Oh, you think that putting kids in me gives you the right to tell me what to do?" Ichigo seethed, "Think again!"

"Look, you're riling out reiatsu, and I'm already having to work a little to not start having sex with you. Stop it, all right?"

"You started it! You went on and on about Tetsuya and…"

"SHUT UP!" Grimmjow snarled, stopping Ichigo's words with a savage kiss.

Ichigo's first impulse was to struggle, but as the hollow's rough lips found his, he felt an electric jolt in his loins. He sucked in a shaky breath through his nose, quivering as Grimmjow's tongue thrust into his mouth and curled around his. The hollow's hands pushed him down and Grimmjow climbed on top of him. He realized, too, that he had somehow shifted to hollow form, and a little hiss escaped him. The sound of it only seemed to rile Grimmjow even more, and the aggressive glint in his icy eyes turned almost deadly. Ichigo's fingers clenched and twitched, growing into claws that tore at the blue-haired hollow.

Grimmjow hissed and swore at the pain, but captured the ginger hollow's wrists and held them down while he positioned himself. And despite the threat of his claws, the ginger hollow's face was a mask of wantonness. He snapped and bit at Grimmjow's mouth, then screeched wildly into it as the sexta Espada joined their bodies.

"S'okay," Grimmjow panted roughly, moving his hips with near desperation, "I got you. Take all you need."

His eyes glazed over and his mind dimmed as the two writhed heatedly together.

_Damn, Ichigo! Your body feels so good. I don't wanna like this, but I can't deny how much I want it._

Amidst the chaos in the ginger hollow's feral, golden eyes, he spotted the signs of deep, erotic pleasure.

"Doesn't look like you mind that so much," he groaned, grinding harder as Ichigo's pale hips rose to meet each hard, fast thrust, "Damned beautiful…"

He felt the breath being sucked out of his lungs as Ichigo's claws dug into his shoulders, tearing at his flesh and the ginger hollow's shriek sent their undulating bodies into orgasm. Grimmjow's mouth clamped down on Ichigo's as hot, white reiatsu cracked furiously around the two, then slowly faded, leaving them in a messy, naked tangle. Grimmjow was still too exhausted to move when Ichigo's hollow mask shattered, and his body returned to its shinigami form.

"Eh, s-sorry," he muttered, blushing and pulling free of Ichigo, "Things got kinda…"

"D-don't worry about it," Ichigo said in a shaky voice as he sat up and wrangled his clothes around his semen spattered body, "I don't think either one of us was really in control."

"Well, your reiatsu seems stable now," the Espada said, looking away so Ichigo wouldn't see his guilty expression.

"Great."

Ichigo gave a piqued sigh.

"I should go and try to find Kisuke and the others."

"No."

"What?" Ichigo said, frowning.

"You heard me," Grimmjow insisted, "You wouldn't be able to fight off a fly right now. We need to go to Las Noches, where I can protect you."

"Well, what if I don't want your protection?" Ichigo asked angrily, "I have friends looking out for me. I don't need…"

"It doesn't matter," Grimmjow said, matter-of-factly, "The laws of the hollows, the laws of Hueco Mundo say that if you're having my kid, that makes you my mate, and it makes me your superior. You have to do what I say."

"Well, I'm not just a goddamned hollow!" Ichigo shouted, "I'm a shinigami and a human too!"

"And you're making too much damned noise!" Grimmjow scolded him, "Do you really think you're safe back there, anyway? Those guys can't protect you! I will!"

Ichigo met Grimmjow's eyes warningly.

" _Kisuke_ protected me from Aizen…and that's a whole lot more than you could ever do. Now, get outta my way."

Grimmjow's blue eyes flared and his hands clenched into fists. He started to answer, but was dropped in his tracks as a heavy shock went through his body.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo called out.

"Ichigo," Kisuke answered, sounding out of breath, "Sorry. It took awhile to catch up with you. Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Ichigo assured him, giving the group of friends behind him a little smile, "Looks like I found the father of my kid…erm…kids."


End file.
